Automatic paper-feeder.



PATENTED MAR. 3, 1903.

No. 721,970. A

` 'J. L. SBLLAR.

AUTOMATIC PAPER FEEDER.

APPLIOATIOH FILED OOT. 9. 1902.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J OHN L. SELLAR, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

AUTOMATIC PAPER-FEEDER.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patnt No. 7 21,970, dated March 3, 1903. Application filed October 9, 1902. Serial Ne. 126 554. (Ne model.)

To all whom, it may concrm' Be it known that I, JOHN L. SELLAR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Paper-Feeders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic paper-feeders.

The object of the invention is to provide a device which is especially adapted for feeding newspapers from a hopper, in which they.

are piled one upon the other, to a folding and wrappin g machine.

The invention consists of the new and novel parts and combination of parts hereinafter more fullyset forth in the accompanying specification and pointed out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of my improved feeding device; and Fig. 2 is a plan View of the cylinder upon which the grippers are carried.

Like reference numerals designate like parts in both views.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, l designates a hopper in which the newspapers 2 are piled one upon the other, with their folded edges over the aperture 3 in the bottom of the hopper. The newspapers 2 come from the press already folded in what is known as a quarter-fold and are placed in the hopper l with the folded edge of each paper pro jecting over the aperture 3. It will be seen that as each paper presents a single folded edge over the aperture 3 only one paper can be withdrawn at a time. The folded edges of the paper being of several thicknesses affords sufficient rigidity to prevent the projecting edges from sagging down through the aperture 3. Extending across the hopper 1 and projecting into the aperture 3 is a roller 4, over which the newspapers pass as they are drawn out through the said aperture one at a time, th us preventing the friction which would otherwise exist between the bottom of the hopper and the paper when the latter is being drawn out at an angle to the hopper. The front end of the hopper l extends down slightly below the plane of the bottom of the hopper and serves to prevent more than one These pipes 5 are' pivoted at 6 and are reciprocated through the medium of the eccentric 7 on the revolving cylinder 8. The suction-pipes 5 are provided at their reat' ends with flexible connections 9, which lead to a suitable means of eX- haust. It is obvious that each of the pipes 5 may be connected to a separate means of exhaust, or they may all be connected to the same means of exhaust. All of the pipes 5 are connected together and move in unison. One of the said pipes 5 is provided with a lug 10 on the lower surface, to which the eccentric 7 is connected. It'will be seen that by employing a plurality of suction-pipes if one or more (less than all) should fail to operate the remaining pipe or .pipes would be operative and would draw the paper from the hop- The cylinder 8 is located below the aperture 3 of the hopper l and is provided with a plurality of annular grooves 11, corresponding in number to the number of suction-pipes 5 employed; The suction-pipes 5 reciprocate in the said grooves 11, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. Near the ends of the cylinder 8 are two grippers 12, which catch the papers as they are drawn down from the hop-t per l to the cylinder 8 and cause the said papers to be drawn out through the aperture 3 as the cylinder 8 revolves. These grippers 12 are of the usual Construction and may be operated in the same manner as the grippers generally used for a similar purpose on cylinder printing-presses.

The operation of the device is as follows: The newspapers 2 are first placed in the hopper l with their folded edges one above the other and projecting over the aperture 3. The cylinder S is revolved by any suitable mechanismwhich transmits inotion through the eccentric 7 to the suction-pipes-. As the suction-pipes 5 move up in the position shown in Fig. l the air in said pipes is eXhausted, which creates a suction and draws the lower paper in the hopper 1 down tightly against the said pipes 5. As the pipes are forced down to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1 they carry one paper with them, which will he caught by the grippers 12 as the cylinder 8 revolves and drawn out through the aperture 3 over the roller 4 and passed to the machine for folding, wrapping, and addressing same.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an automatic paper-feeder, the combination of a hopperin which the papers are piled; a plurality ot' reciprocating suctionpipes connected at one end to a suitable exhaust; a cylinder arranged below the said hopper and having a plurality of annular grooves in the face thereof; means connecting the cylinder and sucton-pipes to cause the latter to reciprocate When the said cylinder is revolved; and grippers on each end of the said cylinder to catch the papers as they are drawn down from the hopper to the cylinder.

2. Iu au automatic paper-feeder, the combination of a hopper having an aperture in the bottom, the front end of the hopper extending slightly below the plane of the bottom; a roller extendiug across the bottom and projecting into the aperture of the hopper; a plurality of reciprocating suctionpipes connected at one end to a suitable airexhaust; a revolvingcylinderarranged below the hopper and havinga plurality of annular l grooves in the face thereof; means to recp- I rocate the said suetion-pipes; and grppers on the cylinder to catch the papers as they are passed from the hopper to the cylinder.

3. In an automatic paper-feeder, the combination of a hopper in which the papers are piled; a roller extending across the hopper and projecting into the aperture in the bottom; a plurality of suction-pipes connected at their rear ends to a suitable air-exhaust mechanism; a revolving cylinder arranged below the hopper and having a plurality of annular grooves cor'esponding in number to the number ofsuction-pipes employed; means connecting the said cylinder and suction-pipes to cause the latter to reciprocate When the cylinder is revolved; and grippers arranged o the cylinder to catch the papers as they are passed from the hopper to the cylinder.

4. In an automatic paper-feeder, the combination of a hopper in which the papers are piled; a revolving cylinder having a plurality of annular groovesin its surface; a plurality of reciprocating snction-pipes connected at one end to a suitable air-exhaust mechanism; and means to reciprocate the said suctionpipes.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN L. SELLAR.

Witnesses: V

THos. KELL BRADFORD, AUG. W. BRADFORD. 

